Sweet Potato Spice Latte {Paleo; Vegan}

This Sweet Potato Spice Latte recipe uses sweet potato puree instead of pumpkin for a fun twist on a favorite fall drink. Plus, it’s paleo and vegan, adapted from Kathy Hester’s lovely The Easy Vegan Cookbook.

If you know me in person you know I’m not really comfortable being in the spotlight. I’m rather shy, actually, at least until I get to know someone. And although I enjoy meeting new people, my happy place really is in the peace and quiet of my own home with the person I love most.

But blogging, like anything else worth doing, has a way of pushing me out of my comfort zone and into situations where I get to meet lots of new people…like I did when I recently went on the Potato Tour in Idaho, where I got to know Kathy Hester, the blogger behind Healthy Slow Cooking.

I had met Kathy previously (at the Food & Wine Conference in Orlando last summer), but I was happy for the opportunity to get to know her better. She is just as kind a soul as you could ever imagine, plus her recipes are pretty wonderful (like Indian Stuffed Potato Chaat and Spicy Southern Chickpeas and Grits!). And she likes Harry Potter-themed recipes just like I do. Really, it’s no surprise to me that Kathy and I are kindred souls.

And Kathy’s latest cookbook, The Easy Vegan Cookbook, is chock full of must-make recipes! (Like her perfect-for-fall Vegan Whole Wheat Pumpkin Drop Biscuits, flavorful Easy Avocado Lemon Basil Pesto, and adorable All-Natural Carrot Dogs.) I started out with her Sweet Potato Spice Frozen Latte, remaking it from a refreshing frozen drink into a comforting hot-weather treat (because November is chilly where I am in Northern Virginia!).

I love the use of sweet potato instead of pumpkin here. It’s a fun little twist, but the profile of this drink overall is still something you’ll be able to relate to flavor-wise.

In Kathy’s original recipe, she used xanthan gum, pectin, or ground chia seeds to thicken the drink. Even though I wanted a hot version I decided I still wanted it a bit thicker for a more comfort-food type of drink (I was thinking of super thick Parisian-style hot chocolate!). I used flaxseed meal as my thickener, which gives the drink a little richness and thickens it up a bit; it’s completely optional though.

And if you want to make this treat worthy of a special occasion (and totally gild the lily), feel free to top it with a dollop of coconut “whipped cream” and an extra sprinkle of nutmeg. How perfect would this be to make with brunch on Thanksgiving morning?

Follow Kathy around the web so you don’t miss any of her delicious dishes:

Website: http://healthyslowcooking.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/geekypoet

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/veganslowcooker

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/kathy_hester/

And check out her latest cookbook, The Easy Vegan Cookbook!

I’m the writer, recipe developer, photographer, and food stylist behind this blog. I love finding the human connection through something we all do every day: eat! Food is a common ground that we can all relate to, and our tables tell a story. It’s my goal to inspire you to get in the kitchen, try something new, and find a favorite you didn’t know you had.

Meet Faith